00:00Going to the Chamber for the first time was quite surreal.
00:03It's a very special place and not many people get to actually step foot on them, let alone sit in one of the chairs.
00:08So I was reminded of how very, very lucky and how grateful I am.
00:12The people have asked for allowing me this opportunity to help represent them and work with them.
00:17I think the thing that surprised me the most is how very, very kind every single person in this building has been.
00:24It doesn't matter what their role is, how long they've been here.
00:27Everyone sees if you look a little bit confused or lost, you immediately get help.
00:32It doesn't matter who you are.
00:33And I'm very, very grateful for that.
00:36So the first speech has been planned since election day over the last few months.
00:40And for every interaction and place that I've been, it's been something that I've considered long term and taking lots of notes and then finally gathering it together.
00:52But like anything like this, I was still making edits right up until last night.
00:56Because you want it to be perfect.
00:58If anyone's willing to watch the entire first speech, I hope that the key message of the first speech is that our aim is to connect.
01:06So I will determine my success being in this place, being a representative of FAS based on people's feeling of connection with me.
01:16So have they felt that I've supported them, worked with them, worked for them over the next three years or potentially hopefully longer.
01:25People have reached out.
01:26Everyone's been so very kind and generous.
01:28I've had tips and tricks and offers to proofread, which I've gratefully accepted.
01:34Everyone's been very kind.
01:36So the first speech and the significance of it was heavily, heavily told to us quite strongly over the last probably couple of months.
01:46So the significance of these first speeches is huge and people keep telling us and keep reminding us, which probably didn't help as I was writing it, that this is the speech that people look to.
01:58No matter how long you're in politics, they're going to look back on this as your starting point.
02:03I hope the people of FAS feel like I understand them.
02:07I hope they feel that they can come to us and to our office if they need anything.
02:13And I hope that they feel that I'm here for the right reasons.
02:17Sure.
02:18So in the final weeks of the campaign, I was exhausted.
02:22You know, it's like running a marathon and you're getting to the end.
02:25But I knocked on another door and it opens to this wonderful lady and she brought out her, her grandson was there playing with her that day.
02:36So I had a really good chat with the family and we talked about priorities and next steps and what we need to do within FAS.
02:44And the young boy, Archie, he very, very kindly, as kids do, he offered me one of his favourite buttons.
02:51And at that point, I thought maybe a lucky button was exactly what I needed.
02:56So I carried it with me right through to the end and to election night and I brought it here with me today.
03:01We are so excited.
03:03We are getting a full staff on board as soon as possible and we will have the office fully up and operational as quickly as we can.
03:11Certainly, hopefully by mid August, if not before.
03:15We determine the role of a representative as someone who listens and tries to connect with people.
03:21So to do that, our office is open and we want people to come in if they need anything.
03:26If they have questions, we are here to help.
03:29So through the campaign, I'm so, so lucky.
03:32I had support from some powerhouses of the labour movement.
03:38Helen Polly was fantastic and offered such great and incredible support for me.
03:44Michelle O'Byrne, Janie Finlay.
03:46You know, I learned from these incredibly intelligent, fierce women.
03:50I'm so, so grateful to all of them.
03:53I'm so, so grateful.
03:54So this week, I have a new niece.
03:58Our family has welcomed a little baby into our family and I'm going to be the proudest uncle that has ever lived.
04:06But my cousin actually requested me to release the name and announce the name of Willow within the speech.
04:14So that was the first time anyone in our family outside of the mother and father of Willow had heard it.
04:20So it was really, really lovely to share.
04:23Obviously, this is such a huge thing for my family.
04:25We're quite a small family and we never really expected to have a little one amongst us.
04:31And so the importance of that for us is that my entire focus is on the future.
04:37So what is that future for Willow actually going to look like?
04:40What will be success?
04:41Or what will her success actually be measured by?
04:44Sometimes we always need a little bit of a push.
04:48And sometimes that push can be from friends, it can be family, or it can be from the generosity of a stranger.
04:54And I was helped along in those final weeks of the campaign through this button and through the generosity of Archie.
05:01We're about to head into my second ever question time and I'm excited to see what comes of it.
05:07The first question went well.
05:09I read it off my sheet very well and I did not stumble my words.
05:13Well, when you go to the right side of the painting through that bio, I guess, for this question went well.
05:23I didn't want to produce a new section of the painting down here.
05:26I wanted to introduce and make a new section of the painting down here.
05:29If you don't see the painting down here in the像, you can see the plan.
05:30And the next part, I talked about the painting down here on the left.
05:32I think that you can see the painting down here in the moment.
05:34But then I'm wishing you a few topics to take place.
